Trunk lock



lll

Patente-cl May 5, 1925.

uNrTED" STATES enr"12N-rr :ivinnrllvniiet/iii"esteri," ornnornnlwiseonsinfnssienoa'rotin PANY, or BACI-NE, WISCONSIN, a CORPORATION 'or W tatami rlitaikicom- Application niedauiy 7, 1923.' serialV No. 1656,185;

To all whom t may` concern: j

Beit knownthat I, MARTIN RAsMUssnN, afcitizen of the `United States,l and1 residentof Racine,- in the county of Racine and State Aofftlisconsin7 have invented new and useful improvements in Trunk Locks, ofwhich the followingl is a description, reference being` had to the accompanying drai'vings7 which are a part of this specification.

rllhis invention relates to trunks, `and has for one of its objects to provide a lock of a noirautoinatic type7 particularly adapted for locking together sections of a wardrobe trunk.

A further object of the invention is to provide a manually operated lock for wardrobe trunks which will receive thelreeper ineinbcr before the sections are entirely closed, and will-clampingly.draw the saine to the fully `closed position and there positively lock it; i y

it still further object of theinvention is to provide a ytrunk lock in which the locking members are normally positioned when the sections are opened to yieldingly receive the keeper member. y

A still'further object of the inventionis to *provide a lock ofthe class described which will be simple in construction, coinparatively inexpensive to manufacture and more efficient in use than those which have been heretofore proposed.

With the above and other objects view, which willfappear as the description proceeds, the invention consists inthe novel details of construction and' combinationsof parts more fully hereinafter described land particularly `pointed out in Vthe appended claims.

Referring to the accompanying drawings in which like reference characters designate like parts in.Y all the views,

Figure l is anelevationalview of a ward'- robe trunlgthe sections in open positions, and with a lock inade in accordance with the present invention 'applied thereto;`

Fig;A 2 is an enlarged elevational view of the lock in its closed position7 a portion ofthe casing beingreinoved `and the locl being shown in the position at right angles to the'position shown in Fig. l;

Fig. 3 is a View similar to Fig. 2,show ing the loclr in its open1 positions;4 Fig. 4l is a central sectional View, taken approximately on lthe* plane. indicatedby the line ell of Fig. 2, loolingfin. the direction of the arrows;

Fig.` 5 isa crosseectional view; taken approximately onthe `plane indicated by the line 5&5 of. Fig.2, looking in the direction of the arrows; and

Fig: (isa fraginenta-rywdetail sectional elevational View, taken approximately: on the plane indicated bythe line (if- 6 of Fig. looking in the direction of*` the arrows. Referring to 'the said drawingsythe nirineral l() indicates the wardrobe section of any suitable trunk to which is hingedly `secured, in the usual and well. known manner, the drawer section ll and the top" cover sec? tion 12, adaptedto close the open upper endl?) of the said wardrobe section.` The top cover section may be provided with the usual. hasp ineinber 16,' bearing any suitable trunk lock l?, adapted to engage the escutcheon plate 18 carried by the drawer section l1, as will be 'readily understood:`

The said drawer section 1l is' alsoprovided with an escutcheon plate. 19, having a keeper lug or' bar 20, which isjadapteol ,to be engaged by the lockingnieinbers` of the lock 21, constituting the present invention, and carried in coi-operative relation to the said escutcheon plate 19 by the ward'- robe section l0. i f

The said lock j asse1nblyf21 compr-ise'sr'ra casing 22 provided Iwith. the.` rigidV angularly disposed guideftlanges, 23,1 andjrwithwthe cover plate orV member 2415 whichrnay be secured to the body portion O tlie'casing 22 in any `suitable Inanner.` The saidbody portion ofthe casing 22 may` also beJ pro"- vided `with-a plurality` of relatively-.short ribs 25, serving to space and`guide the inoving parts ofthe lock, as will readily appear.

Slidably mounted between an adjacent pair of the saidV ribs 25 is a rack member 26, which is provided adjacent onev end with a pair of rigid cylindrical Vprotuheran-ces or pivot ineinbers 27 which are received in corresponding `recesses 28,` formed adj acen't the ends of the locking membersv 29,v` see especially Figs. 2 `and 3U A mutilatedpinion 30, having the reduced` hubs 31is journalled in suitabl-efbearing nie1`nbers32,'fcarried by thelcoverplate or ineinber 24","see especially-Figs. 5 and 6, and the 'said pin ion is provided with a squared hole 33, 'adapted to receive a squared end 34 of the vertically extending rod 35.

The said rod eXtends upwardly and is suitably supported and journalled adjacent shaped substantially as shown in Figs. 2 and 3, their lower portions being cut away as indicated at 40 to accommodate the rack member 26, and the upper portions of the said vmembers are also cut away as indicated at 41 to provide a recess to accommodate the keeper lug or bar 20, as well as the lug 42, rigidly carried by the casing 22. The eX- treme upper portions of the members 29 are provided with the meeting toes 43 and with the converging inclined surfaces 44, adapted to co-operate with the keeper lug or bar 20 for locking the trunk, as will likewise appear more fully below.

A suitable spring is interposed between the lower spaced ends of the members 29, see Figs. 2 and 3, and normally tends to urge the upper ends of the said members, together as shown in full lines in the said figures. The said members 29, however, are further provided upon their outer edges with the shoulders 46 which are adapted to engage the inner surfaces of the guide flanges 23 to positively force the upper ends of the said members 29 together in case the spring 45 breaks or otherwise fails to do so.

rlhe inner surfaces of the members 29 between the cut away portions 40 and 41, are further provided with a pair of lugs 48, having the inclined surfaces 49, adapted to engage the lug 42 to force the locking members 29 apart to the dotted line position illustrated in Fig. 3, when at their extreme uppermost limit of movement.

The operation of the lock will be clear from the foregoing but it may be briefly summarized as follows. bupposing the trunk sections to be in the positions illustrated in Fig. 1, in which condition the lock parts will be in the full line positions shown in Fig. 3, and it is desired to close and lock the trunk. The drawer section 11 of the trunk is swung on its hinges toward the wardrobe section 10, until the keeper lug or bar 2O engages the inclined surfaces 44 of the locking members 29. Further movement of the drawer section will cause the said keeper lug to force the upper ends of the members 29 apart against the pressure of the spring 45, until the said keeper bar snaps past the toes 43 of the said members 29 and enters the cut away portions 41.

ln this position the sections 10 and 11 are not completely closed, but 'zhey may be by now grasping the handle 36 and moving the vertically extending rod 35 through an arc of a circle, which movement will be communicated to the mutilated pinion 30 and through it to the rack member 26, which will be moved downwardly, as viewed in Fig. 3, to the position shown in Fig. 2, carrying with it the locking members 29. These said members, either through the instrumentality of the spring 45 or by reason of the engagement of the shoulders 46 with the guide lianges 23, will be caused to move inwardly about their pivots 2T to the position shown in Fig. 2, thereby securely retaining the keeper lug 2O within the cut away portions 41 below the toes 43. The wardrobe and drawer sections being thus securely locked, the top cover section 12 may be swung downwardly upon its hinges to engage its lock 17 with the escutcheon plate l 18, as will be readily understood, in which positions the three sections of the trunk are securely locked together.

When it is desired to unlock the trunk a reverse procedure is followed, the lock 17 being first disengaged from the plate 18 and the top cover section raised, as shown in Fig. 1. The rod 35 is then rotated by means of its handle 36, which movement is transmitted through the pinion 30 to the rack 26,

which will be raised, carrying with it the locking members 29.

W hen the said members 29 reach their eX- treme uppermost position as viewed in Fig. 3, the inclined surfaces 49 of the lugs or projections 48 will engage the lug 42 carried by the casing 22 and will force the pivoted locking members 29 apart to the dotted line position shown in Fig. 3, thereby permitting the keeper lug or bar 2O to be withdrawn between the toes 43, as will be readily understood.

lVhile one form of the invention has been illustrated and described, it is obvious that those skilled in the art may vary the details of construction as well as the arrangement of parts without departing from the spirit of the invention, and therefore it is not wished to be limited to the above disclosure except as may be required by the accompanying claims.

W hat is claimed is:

1. In a trunk lock, a keeper member; a longitudinally slidable and pivoted locking member adapted to be engaged and moved about its pivot by said keeper member when the parts are in their partially open positions; means normally urging said locking member to keeper engaging position; and manually operable means for sliding said locking member to clampingly draw said keeper member to its fully closed position.

2. ln a trunk lock, a keeper member; a longitudinally slidable and pivoted locking member adapted to occupy open and closed itil) isaees 3 positions, and to be engaged by said keeper member when the parts are in their partially closed positions to move it about its pivot to open position; resilient means normally urging said looking member to keeper engaging position; additional means for positively forcing said looking member to keeper engaging position; and manually operable means tor sliding said looking member to olampingly draw said keeper' member to fully closed position.

3. In a trunk look, a keeper member; a slidable pivoted looking member adapted to occupy open and closed positions, and to be engaged by said keeper member when the parts are in their partially closed positions; resilient means normally urging said locking member to keeper engaging position; additional means for positively forcing said looking memberl to keeper engaging position; manually operable means *for sliding said looking member to olampingly draw said keeper member to i'ully closed position; and means for positively moving said looking member to i'ully open position to disengage said keeper member.

4. In a trunk look, a keeper member; a easing; a rack slidably mounted in said oasing; a gear engaging said rack; a pair ot looking members pivotally carried by said rack, adapted to receive said keeper; means tor yieldingly urging said looking members to keeper engaging position; and means :for rotating said gear, and to thereby move said rack to draw said locking members to looked position.

5. In a trunk look, a keeper member; a casing; a rack slidably mounted in said casing; a gear engaging said raok; a pair ot looking members pivotally Carried by said rack, in spaoed relation and provided with toes adapted to receive said keeper; means comprising a spring interposed between said looking members for yieldingly urging said looking members to keeper engaging position; and means for rotating said gear, and to thereby move said rack to draw said looking members to looked position.

6. In a trunk look, a keeper member; a casing provided with a pair of spaced guide llanges; a rack slidably mounted in said casing; a mutilated gear engaging said rack; a

pair oit spaoed looking members pivotally carried by said rack, provided with meeting toes adapted to engage said keeper member; a. spring interposed between said locking members for yieldingly urging said toes toward eaoli other; means ooaoting with said guide flanges 'for positively urging said toes toward each other; and manual means for oscillating said gear to reciprocate said rack and looking members.

7. In a trunk look, a keeper member; a easing provided Wit-li a pair oi' spaced guide flanges; a raok slidably mounted in said oasing; a mutilated gear engaging said rack; a pair of spaoed looking members pivotally carried by said rack, provided with meeting toes adapted to engage said keeper member; a. spring interposed between said looking members for yieldingly urging said toes toward eaoli other; means comprising shoulders carried by said looking members ooacting with said guide flanges lor positively urging said toes toward each other; manual means for oscillating said gear to reciprocate said rack and looking members; and means comprising ooaoting lugs carried by said looking members and said casing for positively moving said toes away from one another.

In testimony whereof, I atix my signature.

MARTIN RASMUSSEN; 

